The purpose of this article is to guide you in buying the camping tent better suited to withstand the rains in Brazil and how to set up a tent for camping . This article was written based on tests conducted with Náutika tents, Coleman, Fit, Cheetah and Mormaii, common brands on domestic soil.
Participate in forums, read blogs, and there are always reports of love or hatred for certain brands and models of camping tents. There are some tents, like those more cheap than not have sobre-teto, and that No should be used in rainy periods or with the simple possibility of rain. Some even resist against sprinkles, but protection against rain is not the focus of these simpler equipment. Take as an example the tents: Náutika Panda, Náutika Kongo, Cheetah Athena and Mormaii Bali. These types of tents should be used in areas covered or in dry climates.
Which tent to buy?
Most stalls sold in Brazil, with sobre-teto, when assembled properly, can withstand stronger rain showers, that doesn’t mean that will withstand prolonged rains. It is important to make one caveat: some manufacturers make it clear that some models, even with sobre-teto, are made for dry weather, as the model Náutika Fox. Before you buy, see the website of the manufacturer/importer for further information!
It is possible to have an idea of the ability of a tent has to endure the rain by the measure called the water column. The water column indicates the amount and intensity of the rain that the fabric of a tent can withstand, being used as the measurement unit millimeter (mm). Tents between 800 mm and 1,000 mm of water column, depending on the finishing and materials employed, even can withstand rain, as the Náutika Falcon and Coleman LX, in fact, the performances of these two tents was very good during storms, even with the water column in lower values. But, if you can, always buy top equipment. The tents that have tested with the water column from 1,200 mm have provided a great protection against the weather, however, the tests are made with continuous rains. Ideal for tropical climates are tents from 1,500 mm of water column, with top quality tents offer a water column from 2,000 mm or more.
Many people who have their flooded tents, generally, do not have the proper equipment to rainy weather or fail to assemble the tent properly, perhaps because of negligence or lack of knowledge. Then it rains, are critical to equipment, often unfair. It is very common to see on the forums messages like: “my tent was the only one not wet” – as if all others were bad. It is a fact that old tents can have your ability to repel water, that new tents can come with factory defects, that certain brands are not able to maintain a good relationship with consumers, and it is certain that the quality between brands and models is quite different. If you want a booth that really protect you from the rain, will have to spend a little more.
If your equipment is new, has no defects and if you are happy with the model that you have chosen, here are some tips for the correct assembling of your equipment.
The tips below are for tents with sobre-teto via Transporthint, namely, the tent that comes with two distinct and separate parts. These parts are the carrier, consisting of the floor and mosquito net; and the sobre-teto (the sheet) that effectively will give you protection from the rain:
Even at home, mount your tent to see if nothing is missing and if the equipment does not present defects, primarily on the support rods. Be sure to check if the stakes are in sufficient number;
First, choose a location, if possible, sheltered from the wind and Sun in time, the long exposure to the Sun will damage the seams sealed and waterproof treatment of your tent. Despite the demand for a shadow to be something interesting to do, prefer to assemble the tent so that you don’t get directly under large trees, because of the danger of lightning and falls of larger branches;
Take good care of the land on which assembles your tent, remove all stones and branches that could damage the floor. Small holes in the ground can be a real nuisance in the event of rain;
Look for the prevailing wind and mount your tent with the door facing the other way. If your tent does not have a sobre-teto long enough to protect the door from rainwater, set up the tent on the side opposite the wind will help prevent the ingress of water (Cheetah, Cheetah Venus, Coleman LX and Mormaii Brava). In case of extremely strong winds, not to turn the door “face the wind” can prevent your equipment come out flying when the door is open;
Taking into account that your tent has sobre-teto, extend it correctly, taut so as not to touch the carrier. Well stretched doesn’t mean arrochado! Leave a little slack so that the material work in case of wind. Remembering what I call carrier composite part floor over the mosquito net. If there was a secret to avoid rainwater, would surely be this;
Place the cuttings in 45th position both in structure and in the sobre-teto. If the ground is too soft, improvise longer stakes or anchor your tent by tying it to rocks or vegetation available. Take a piece of 1.5 mm rope can help in situations where the ground is not favourable.
If your tent have cordeletes to dock it, use them. The cordeletes are important to protect your tent upwind and to keep the sobre-teto away from the passenger compartment;
Manipulate the zippers with care, open and close the doors and Windows with a lot of caution. Any damage to any of your tent zipper can ruin your camping trip in order to leave you vulnerable to insects and poisonous animals;
There are regions of Brazil in the dry and rainy seasons are well defined, but generally speaking, in situations where the rain is possible, can not always be a good idea to put a tarp underneath your tent, it may cause the rainwater empoce between the floor and the canvas. If the floor of the tent has a small hole, no matter how small, can get a lot of water inside your tent. Some manufacturers tout the use of tarps in the back of the tent to prolong the life of the floor, but that’s not always necessary, assess on a case by case basis. If you choose to use canvas, be careful to cut it in the exact measure of your tent floor, or even a little less, to avoid the “effect”;
To increase the durability of the floor of the tent, it is interesting to put a tarp on the inside, forming a concave area. This can save you from getting in touch with rainwater in the case of a hole in the floor. This procedure also can prevent accidental cuts and holes and will help keep the inside of the tent free of dirt or sand, making it easy to clean. For who’s going to walk long distances with the Backpack on the back, the canvas may should be avoided in order not to compromise the backpack with both weight and volume, but if you’re going to set up camp next to your car, take a few pieces of canvas does not bring you inconvenience;
Just log into tent barefoot, to prevent friction between your shoes and the floor will eventually damage the equipment;
Ventilation is important part and prevents condensation from the air of your breath, you can wet your equipment just like rain. Tents with sobre-teto mounted properly tend to form a pocket of air between the Interior and the sobre-teto, causing the air condense in the sobre-teto and not in the passenger compartment. If the sobre-teto is well stretched, the water will drain away from the passenger compartment. An example to know what happens with air condensation of your breath is to observe a can of cold sodas, that “your” when in contact with hot air;
If you cannot keep the sobre-teto away from the passenger compartment, pull some Birthday balloons or condoms. Fill them only enough and the position between the passenger compartment and the sobre-teto. This is a tip for use in tents that are not designed for rain or when the sobre-teto is pressed by the wind against the passenger compartment;
Stay tuned to not put backpacks or other objects in order to pull the mosquito net at sobre-teto, which may facilitate the entry of water;
Carry with you a piece of Duct Tape, type tape that can assist in emergency repairs;
Clean your tent, preferably before going back home, to avoid laziness. Take a rag to assist him in this task;
Never store your tent wet!
Despite the most common tents, if assembled correctly, they can protect it from the rain, try to buy the best equipment your money allow. Buy a good equipment, is guaranteed to not have to buy twice! If your budget allows, prefer the most renowned brands, this will prevent you to be “piranha ox,” testing tents still little known.
How to buy a tent (used)
Currently, the tents are made of tissues called polyester or nylon (in Brazil known as nylon). It is a common mistake to treat as nylon material of most of the tents, since most manufacturers prefer polyester. Polyester has properties similar to nylon, anyway, is a relatively lower tissue and also cheaper, but it’s not a bad product, especially when it comes to tents. Polyester, for example, supports better the abrasion and UV rays from the Sun on the other hand, the best tents you know use nylon in at least some item of equipment as the floor, or in almost all parts of the tent, even with the abrasion properties of polyester being superior, perhaps this is a good indicator of superior quality nylon. I’ve seen sites of importers of nylon calling what is polyester, in fact, most manufacturers put in their informational sites that the tent is made of nylon when probably not. I don’t know recognize the difference just by looking, but it is likely that almost all manufacturers use polyester. I hope this is due to ignorance and not bad faith, after all, hardly anyone knows tell one another tissue. It is also very common that the manufacturer or importer to omit what are the fabrics used. This happens even with the most renowned manufacturers of Brazil, such as trails and Directions (at least up to the date that I wrote this article). I find it regrettable. I like to know all the details of what they buy.
The floor is usually polyethylene, commonly known as plastic. These floors can be of different densities and durability. The best tents bring floor of nylon, lighter, resistant and less bulky. The tents are rare with different floors of polyethylene.
The most common are the rods of fiberglass. The more fragile the tent, thinner are the rods. Great stalls bring a spattering of Duralumin, which of course, reflection on prices.
The stakes can be as much as aluminum steel. Many articles say that the steel piles are heavier, but stronger. I disagree with. The durability of a steel stake is directly linked to bitola. Most of the tents brings very thin steel piles, which warp easily to find land harder. The stakes can be pretty resistant aluminum, also depend on the gauge or the shape of the piece. Some stakes, usually sold separately in camping stores, have a distinctive format, and are very strong, as in the photo to the side.
It is very common to also find mosquito nets made of tissue called the SEE a. Nice name, isn’t it? As I have evaluated several tents, and most Announces mosquito nets in SEE one, I decided to put the name in Google. In SEE a is a tiny mosquito. Then, when the manufacturer puts these terms to designate your mosquito net, he means that the equipment guarantees a great protection even against minors bugs. In time, most of the mosquito nets are manufactured in polyester of different qualities, some are more fragile, more resistant. Among the nets of good quality, I really like those used in Coleman tents.
Except rare exceptions, the overwhelming majority of marketed in Brazil tents are made with sobre-teto and mosquito netting, polyester and polyethylene floor almost always fragile steel piles, i.e. that warp with ease.
But should I buy a tent 3 or 4 seasons?
In my humble opinion, these terms are most suitable for areas with extreme climates of blizzards and strong winds and do not apply to Brazil. Generally speaking, the stalls sold in our country would fall into at the end 3 stations, except some tents for mountaineering techniques, which is not the focus of this article. Of course we have, eventually, snow in some regions of the country, but does not compare with European or climates of North America.
“Il Gran Finale”
Seem too many tips, isn’t it? But if you take a moment to analyze, most of what was written is kind of obvious and ululante. Other tips are easy to remember and certainly you will remember them when you are mounting your camp! The tips on the materials used in manufacturing are geared towards those people who like to know all the details.
This text is the result of a hard work and involves the experience and knowledge of the author. No one is authorized to copy or reproduce it in your all or any excerpt. If you liked the article, share social networks links pointing to the original source is allowed and encouraged.
If you prefer, watch the video below (the text is much more complete).
